Fagan Vadi Paapmochni Ekadashi
Shree Krushna Bhagwan is explaining to King Yudhishtir the dialogue, written in the Bhavishya Puran, where King Maandhaata asked Rushi Lomash to explain the greatness of Paapmochni Ekadashi.
King Maandhaata asked: O Brahmin! Please, explain to me the greatness of Fagan Vadi Paapmochni Ekadashi. What benefits would occur if one observes this Ekadashi? Thereafter, Rushi Lomash replied: O King! Paapmochni Ekadashi occurs on the dark half of a lunar month. This Ekadashi leads to success, happiness and the destruction of ones sins. Let me enlighten you with a story relating to Paapmochni Ekadashi which is written in the Purans’.
In Swarg Lok, there was an attractive forest called Chaitrarath. Many Devtas (deities) used to tour around this forest, where many Rushis and Munis carried out their penance. In this beautiful forest, there was a Rushi named Medhavi who was doing his penance. A celestial damsel (apsara) went to Rushi Medhavi to disturb him by her fascination. This Rushi was a devotee of Lord Shiva. Kamdev (God of love), took the form of the celestial damsel and decided to take revenge on Lord Shiva by disturbing a great devotee of the Lord. She looked at the Rushi and started to sing and dance. Seeing her dance, Rushi Medhavi got attracted to the damsel and started to make a living with her around. He became so lured into her that he couldn’t live without her for even a second.
The damsel asked Rushi Medhavi for her permission to leave. Rushi said, “Stay here with me until nightfall.” The damsel was scared and told him, “O Rushi! You have spent many nightfall’s with me. Think about it” The rushi thought rigorously and realized that 57 years had passed living with the damsel. The Rushi became extremely angry and cursed the damsel. “You have disturbed me from my penance therefore become a ghost!” The damsel begged the Rushi for mercy. “Even making 7 steps accompanied with a true devotee, one can gain salvation and I have lived with you for many years, so please be happy with me.” Medhavi Rushi answered, “To become free from the curse, observe a fast on the day of Paapmochni Ekadashi.” Saying this, Medhavi Rushi returned back to his dwelling place. There, seeing his son degenerated from his penance, Rushi Medhavi’s father (Rushi Chyavan) asked, “O Son! What sin have you carried out?” Rushi Medhavi answered, “I have broken my moral duties by living with a beautiful celestial damsel. I have committed a great sin. O Father! Please have mercy on me and show me a way I can carry out penance to undo my sins.”
Rushi Chyavan is telling his son that, “My dear son! By observing a fast on Paapmochni Ekadashi, your sins will burn away, therefore carry out this fast.” Hearing his fathers words, Rushi Medhavi observed a fast on Paapmochni Ekadashi leading him to be a pure and sinless devotee.
According to Rushi Medhavi’s promise, the beautiful celestial damsel also carried out a fast on Paapmochni Ekadashi which led her to become free from the ghostly body. She became free from all her sins, became free from the curse and made her way to the Lok of Swarg.
Rushi Lomash is saying: O King Maandhaata! One who observes a fast on Paapmochni Ekadashi will become free from all their sins.
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